Stefan Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 AllI will preface this by saying yes, we should have known better and checked before hand but.....We feel that a local, non-French, but "Sireted" builder is trying to stich us up over some proposed work. We discussed a (large) project with him, expected him to return to take accurate measurements, provide a few sketches and then we would give him the thumbs up or down to continue with drawing up the plans, etc, required by DDE or whoever( He quoted €25/hr by the way)We heard nothing from the guy for 6 weeks - no visits, no consulation, then he pitches up with what he claims are "Etudes", a set of "plans" that are absolutely unlike anything we asked for and was subsequently agreesive to my partner to boot ("demanding money, €1000, with menaces" might be a good description). We stopped the "work" on the spot, have tried discussing the matter with his partner in the firm, but any progress that has been made has just been sabotaged by the receipt, this morning, of his bill for €1794 for "deplacement, discussion, etude and dessiner le Plan....80 pret le Permis de Construire". And he increased the hourly rate to 37.50!We would dearly love to check this guy out, perhaps generate some heat with DDE or his professional, siret issuing body. Anyone any ideas how to take this matter down an official road?RegardsStefan (aka hopping mad of 09)edited after the red mist receeded to improve spelling and grammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babnik Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Did you sign a devis? If not I don't see how he can expect to charge for work he wasn't asked to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjm Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 If you have signed no paperwork with these people, then they do not have a leg to stand on and are just "chancing their arm" by sending you a devis!We are in the building trade, and were on the other side of the fence, so to speak. We had a client who asked for "extras" on top of their original devis, we did not draw up a new contract, and when works were completed they refused to pay the extra! They had no cause for complaint, as all works were completed to a high standard, but as they hadn't signed a devis for the "extras" we couldn't sue for them! Needless, to say every single thing we do for a client now has to be signed for in advance!Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 If this builder is British did you make sure that when he quoted "about 25 an hour" that he was talking in Euros.An increase from 25 to 37.5 is roughly what the conversion from pounds to euros works out at. It is not uncommon for Uk builders talking to UK customers to talk in pounds . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Check him and his firm out on www.lesechos.fr and see exactly what they are registered to do in France. If you have not signed and returned a copy of the estimate, then he has no leg to stand on and is probably trying it on because he can't get any work due to his attitude. All builders whether english or french and worth their salt do not act in this way and certainly do not carry out "work" without some sort of paperwork first. If they get very aggressive, you may make a complaint to the gendarmerie and say you are being harrassed which is a serious offence here. We've just had to re-do a lot of work some english cowboy did and the rest is going through the courts and the tax people, turned out he was doing work he was not skilled in or registered to do and with no insurance and proper paperwork but a Siret number and that can cover a multitude of sins,believe you me. Certainly never pay up front on the strength of a verbal demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted December 1, 2004 Author Share Posted December 1, 2004 All, thanks for your quick and kind replies.Patrick, sorry to hear you have experienced the other side of the problem.BJSLIV - No, he's not a Brit but your logic is, I'm sure, spot on given this chaps "peculiar" frame of mind.....Val2 Sorry to hear of your problems, thanks for the link we will check this guy out and see what else we can uncover.Stefan (09) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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